Burst effect testing target



July 13, 1965 K, CHW T I BURST EFFECT TESTING TARGET Filed March 23,1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1965 Filed March 23, 1962 FFEC ETAL

ING TARGET BUR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,194,066 BURSTEFFECT TESTING TARGET Kuno Schwab, Gerhard Schniausser, and ErichKonrad, Zweibrucken, and Joachim Hoifmann, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,assignors to Dinglerwerlke Aktiengeselischaft, Zweibruiciren, GermanyFiled Mar. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 181361 7 (llaims. (Cl. 73167) The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for permitting the burst effect ofprojectiles which are shot directly upon armor plates, especially steelor concrete plates, to be observed and evaluated.

The conventional means for this purpose consist of a supportingstructure which holds the steel or armor plate upon which the projectileis directed at the appropriate distance from the gun in a positionvertical to the trajectory of the projectile or inclined to thehorizontal plane. These supporting structures have previously been madeof heavy bars and blocks of wood, tie bars, and posts which were rammedinto the ground and secured to each other by connecting means. Everydifferent angle of inclination of the armor plate then required aseparate wood construction. When being shot at, such Wood structuresproved to be of insufficient strength. They constantly requiredreplacing, repairing, or renewing which entailed a considerable waste oftime and expense. The reconstruction of a larger structure required atleast one or two days and this peirod was even increased by the lengthof time required for changing the armor plate to be shot at from onestructure to another for testing the effects of the projectile atdifferent predetermined angles of the plate. Furthermore, it was verydifiicult to-build these wood structures so as to be sufficientlyyieldable andto vary their yiel-dability within wide limits.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a burst effecttesting target which is preferably made of a solid steel constructionand provided with a test plate, for example, of steel or other suitablematerials, hereafter generally referred to as an armor plate, which isadapted to be adjusted to and secured at different angles ofinclination. A further object of the invention is to provide such atesting target with a pivotable support on which the armor plate whichis to be shot at may be mounted, and to mount this support so as to beslidable as well as resilient. The means for adjusting the inclinationof the armor plate may consist, for example, of an oil-hydraulic drivewhich controls the pivoting of the support and which by the installationof a resilient damping device connected to the oil-hydraulic drive alsoacts as a shock absorber.

Another feature of the invention consists in making the support for thearmor plate of a drum-shaped construction, in winding elastic cables inopposite directions to each other around this drum, and in resilientlysecuring these cables to the under-structure so that the drum then actsas a restraining device. The resilience of the structure may be furtherincreased by the insertion of elastic cushions between the drum and thepivoting shaft.

In order to reduce or eliminate entirely the reaction of the forces ofthe projectile upon the entire structure of the testing target theinvention further provides that the axis of rotation is placed withinthe dynamic center of percussion.

The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more clearly apparent from the following detailed description ofone preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross section thereof; while 3,194,066 PatentedJuly 13, 1965 FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross section of a modificationof a part of the apparatus according to FIG. 1.

As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, thetesting target according to the invention comprises an armor plate 1upon which projectiles are to be shot and which is clamped by wedges 2into slots S, one being shown, in parallel side plates 3 and 4 formingarms which are secured to a drum 5. This drum 5 is mounted by means ofintermediate damping elements 6 on a shaft 7 which, in turn, is mountedin a frame 10 in a pit 8 of the understructure 9 and which frame isslidable in guides 11. Thecompletely closed frame 10 is connected to apiston rod 12 of a hydraulic unit 13 Which is driven by anelectric-hydraulic unit 14 and is resiliently supported at its rear endby a shock absorbing device 15. Drum 5which serves as a restrainingdevice carries elastic cables 16 and 17 which are wound around it inopposite directions to each other and are mounted by resilient means 18on the understructure 9. Pit 8 is covered in the upward direction by ahorizontally slidable plate 1? to such an extent that it only leaves apair of slots 26 for the passage of the side plates 3 and 4.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

By means of the piston rod 12 which is connected to frame 10, shaft 7 ofdrum 5 may be shifted for a predetermined distance in the horizontaldirection. Since drum 5 which is mounted on shaft 7 is acted upon by thetension of the elastic cables 16 and 17,. shaft 7 turns with the drum,and as the result thereof the armor plate 1 which is mounted on the sideplates 3 and 4 is adjusted to a different inclination, as indicated indotted lines in FIGURE 1. In this manner, it is possible to vary theimpact angle from 0 to If a projectile hits in the direction of thearrow 21 upon plate 1, the impact is transmitted to the elasticallymounted shaft 7 which can then shift horizontally in the direction offire and which is also resiliently mounted in the direction of rotation.The extent of the simultaneous shifting and rotary movements of shaft7is determined by the strength of the restraining cables 16 and 17 andtheir resilient mounting means 18 and it is variable by a suitableadjustment of the valves of the hydraulic unit 13. By properly adjustingthe mass of the adjusting device in relation to the mass of theprojectile and the armor plate 2, it is possible to insure that onlyrelatively small forces or impulses will be exerted upon the adjustingdevice and that, especially by mounting the shaft 7 within the dynamiccenter of percussion of the system, the reactionof forces of theprojectile upon the apparatus will be reduced to a minimum.

For reducing the reaction of forces upon the apparatus to a stillgreater extent, the armor plate to be tested may be clamped resilientlyto the side plates 3 so that a damping effect will be attained. Apreferred embodiment of such a mounting of the armor plate 1 isillustrated in FIGURE 3 which shows plate l as being clamped into theside plate 3 by means of a double wedge 2a and a counterwedge 22, and anintermediate biased resilient insert 23. A bolt 24 extends through thedouble wedge 2a, and a nut 25 on bolt 24 may be tightened to clamp armorplate 1 securely to the side plate 3. In this manner it is possible toreduce the reaction of the forces of the projectile upon the side plates3 and 4 very considerably.

Although our invention has been illustrated and described with referenceto the preferred embodiment thereof, we wish to have it understood thatit is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capableof numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed our invention, what we claim is:

1. A testing target including an armor plate, comprising pivotalmounting means for said late, hydraulic means for movably positioningsaid mounting means at a selectedangle and for normally maintaining thesame at the selected angle, damping means connected to said hydraulicmeans whereby said hydraulic means act as a shock absorber, means forpermitting said plate mounting means, under the impact of a projectile,to pivot and to slide in the direction of fire, and resilient meansconnected to said plate mounting means to retard said pivoting andsliding movements.

2. A testing target including an armor plate, pivotal mounting means forsaid plate including a drum-shaped member, means for movably positioningsaid mounting means at a selected angle and for normally maintaining thesame at the selected angle, means for permitting said plate mountingmeans, under the impact of a projectile, to pivot together with saiddrum-shaped member and to slide in the direction of fire, means toretard said pivoting and sliding movements comprising elastic cablessecured to and wound in opposite directions around said drumshapedmember, a stationary base, and resilient means for connecting saidelastic cables to the stationary base.

3. A testing target including an armor plate, pivotal mounting means forsaid plate including a drum-shaped member, a shaft, said drum-shapedmember being mounted on said shaft, elastic cushion means interposedbetween said drum-shaped member and said shaft, means for movablypositioning said mounting means at a selected angle about the axis ofsaid shaft and for normally maintaining the same at the selected angle,said plate mounting means, being adapted under the impact of aprojectile, to pivot together with said drum-shaped member about saidaxis, guide means for said shaft to allow said shaft carrying saiddrum-shaped member and said plate mounting means to slide under impactin the direction of fire, means to retard said pivoting and slidingmovements comprising elastic cables secured to and wound in oppositedirections around said drum-shaped member, a stationary base andresilient means for connecting said elastic cables to the stationarybase.

4. A testing target including an armor plate, a shaft, a pair of sideplates forming arms mounted on said shaft, said side plates having slotsfor receiving said armor plate, means for clamping said armor plate insaid slots, a frame member, said shaft being pivotably mounted in saidframe member, guide means to guide said frame member for slidingmovement in one direction, whereby under the impact of a projectile saidarmor plate together with said side plates are adapted to pivot aboutthe axis of said shaft and also to slide in said direction, resilientmeans connected to said plate mounting means for opposing said pivotingand sliding movements, and hydraulic means for movably positioning saidside plates together with said armor plate at a selected angle and fornormally maintaining the same at the selected angle.

4 5. A testing target including an armor plate, pivotal .mounting meansfor said plate including a shaft, 21 pair of side plates forming armsmounted on said shaft, means for securing said armor plate to said sideplates, means for rotatably mounting said shaft Within the dynamiccenter of percussion of the testing target, means to guide said shaftmounting means for sliding movement in one direction, whereby under theimpact of a projectile said armor plate together with said side platesare adapted to pivot about the axis of said shaft and also to slide insaid direction, resilient means to retard said pivoting and slidingmovements, and hydraulic means for movably positioning said side platestogether with said armor plate at a selected angle and for normallymaintaining the same at the selected angle.

6. A testing target including an armor plate, pivotal mounting means forsaid plate, means for movably positioning said mounting means at aselected angle and for normally maintaining the same at the selectedangle, means to allow said mounting plate under the impact of aprojectile to pivot and also to slide in the direction of fire,resilient means connected to said plate mounting means to retard saidpivoting and sliding movements, and covering means substantiallyseparating said armor plate and a part of said mounting means from allof the other means of said testing target for protecting said othermeans from shell fragments.

7. A testing target including an armor plate, a shaft, a pair of sideplates forming arms mounted on said shaft, said side plates having slotsfor receiving said armor plate, resilient damping inserts interposedbetween said armor plate and the walls of said slots, wedges forclamping said armor plate between said inserts in said slots, 2. framemember, said shaft being pivotably mounted in said frame member, guidemeans to guide said frame member for sliding movement in one direction,whereby under the impact of a projectile said armor plate together withsaid side plates are adapted to pivot about the axis of said shaft andalso to slide in said direction, resilient means connected to said sideplates to retard said pivoting and sliding movements, and hydraulicmeans for movably positioning said side plates together with said armorplate at a selected angle and for normally maintaining the same at theangle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,721 8/09Sprankle 188-64 X 1,087,507 2/ 14 Palen 273102 1,424,632 8/22 Fenton273-102 2,689,938 9/54 Larson 7312 X 2,731,829 1/56 Wigington et al.73--167 FOREIGN PATENTS 727,342 3/ 32 France.

RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner. DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiner.

1. A TESTING TARGET INCLUDING AN ARMOR PLATE, COMPRISING PIVOTALMOUNTING MEANS FOR SAID PLATE, HYDRAULIC MEANS FOR MOVABLY POSITIONINGSAID MOUNTING MEANS AT A SELECTED ANGLE AND FOR NORMALLY MAINTAINING THESAME AT THE SELECTED ANGLE, DAMPING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID HYDRAULICMEANS WHEREBY SAID HYDRAULIC MEANS ACT AS A SHOCK ABSORBER, MEANS FORPERMITTING SAID PLATE MOUNTING MEANS, UNDER THE IMPACT OF PROJECTILE, TOPIVOT AND TO SLIDE IN THE DIRECTION OF FIRE, AND RESILIENT MEANSCONNECTED TO SAID PLATE MOUNTING MEANS TO RETARD SAID PIVOTING ANDSLIDING MOVEMENTS.